Melchizedek and Abram

Melchizedek and Abram

 

April 13, 2025

Abram’s Rescue of Lot (Genesis 14:1-16)

In Genesis 14, Lot got himself into trouble, or rather, trouble found him. He got caught up in a regional skirmish, and he and his household were captured and likely brought into some form of moderate slavery. Abram led a group of men from his household to rescue Lot.

In this account, we learn numerous things about God’s blessing of Abram and God’s promises toward him. The encounter with Lot and his rescue establishes a very clear difference between Lot’s choice of land (near Sodom) and Abram’s choice of land. Remember back in chapter 13, stress built between Abram and Lot as they were becoming too many people and animals for one location. They had to go their separate ways.

This separation was significant because God had told Abram to get out from his country, from his land, from his father’s household. He was supposed to be on his own. He had taken Lot with him, which wasn’t exactly what God had said. So now they’re finally separated. Lot looked toward the plains of Sodom, saw that they were well-watered, and chose that location.

This rescue also tests Abram’s separation from Lot in fulfillment of God’s stipulations in His covenant. It’s interesting that at the end of this encounter, Abram does not take Lot back with him but maintains his separation. In chapters 12 and 13 Abram made some bad choices that seemed to doubt God’s promises. In chapter 14 Abram renews his trust and obedience to the Lord.

Historical Context of Genesis 14

Moses clearly did not just write fiction here; he wrote history. The description of the kings in their battles reminds readers that Moses recounted history. Genesis 14:1 mentions “Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar” and others. Moses carefully indicated the names of various cities and notes where names had changed over time. This is significant because some people want to identify Genesis as myth, but reading carefully reveals that Genesis is not myth.

We also see the extent of God’s blessing upon Abram’s household. When Abram went into battle to rescue Lot, we learn that Abram’s household is huge. There are 318 trained servants who went with him into battle, and the text notes these were all “born in his house.” These weren’t his children, but people who came from servants he owned or people who had committed themselves to Abram. This demonstrates the blessing of God upon Abram. It also helps us understand how he could go and win this battle. Regarding the kings mentioned in the chapter, we should understand that these weren’t kings of vast empires like the kings of France, Spain, or England. These were kings of small cities and regions, more like city-states. They formed alliances, similar to what we see with the Philistine kings in 1 and 2 Samuel. These kings had a lot of independence but there is, at times, some sort of national unity. It’s hard for us to think in those terms, but the idea of a nation-state, as we like to think of it today, is actually a relatively modern invention. Germany, for instance, didn’t become a nation as we like to think of it, until the late 1800s. So 318 men was a sizable force, and yet, when you consider all of the kings that are mentioned, 318 wasn’t really that large. So this shows God’s blessing upon Abram that he was protected here. 

Melchizedek and the King of Sodom (Genesis 14:17-24)

After Abram rescues Lot, we read about the man, Melchizedek and the king of Sodom. Let’s look at Genesis 14:17-24. This is right after Abram brings back Lot and his goods, as well as the other people that were captured, including the king of Sodom. 

And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. (Abram gave to Melchizedek a tithe of all.)  Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.” This encounter is often focused on Melchizedek, but actually, Abram encounters two kings – there is Melchizedek, king of Salem and the king of Sodom. 

Contrasting Kings

This section contrasts two kings to show that God would bless those who blessed Abram, fulfilling the promise made to Abram: “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” The king of Sodom does not bless Abram at all. In fact, he doesn’t even show gratitude that Abram rescued his people and possessions. He doesn’t say one nice word to him, showing no sense of gratitude whatsoever. This foreshadows what will happen to Sodom a few chapters later.

In this passage, we first encounter the king of Sodom, but he’s largely ignored as the narrative focuses on examining Melchizedek. The narrative is structured using a literary device called a chiasm, where we meet the king of Sodom (with nothing good or bad said initially), then meet Melchizedek (the highlight of the story), and then return to the king of Sodom (who is clearly not portrayed positively). It’s also interesting to note that the king of Sodom is not named, whereas the King of Salem, Melchizedek, is named. 

The Significance of Melchizedek

There’s no way to fully unpack the significance of Melchizedek in a single lesson, especially as he’s mentioned substantively in the Psalms and in Hebrews. However, we can understand some broad points about his significance:

1. Moses gave the first mention of Jerusalem (Salem) in the Bible. This is the earliest reference to Jerusalem, dating to the third millennium BC. It’s significant that in Salem, which became Jerusalem over time, there is a priest to the Most High God. This was a very special place that God had set his attention upon. This became more clear during the reign of David when he selected Jerusalem as his capital. 
2. Melchizedek blessed Abram as a priest of the Most High God. He functioned as a priest, evidenced by receiving tithes from Abram and offering blessings from God. Those were priestly activities. Melchizedek was gracious in providing bread and wine for Abram, and his blessing is twofold: Abram was blessed by God, and Abram was also blessed in that God delivered Abram’s enemies into his hand. Abram, once again, saw God’s promises to him being enacted through this priest of the Most High God. 
3. The Bible portrays the priesthood of Melchizedek as of a different order than the Levitical priesthood (Psalm 110 and Hebrews 7). Jesus, according to Hebrews, is a priest according to the order of Melchizedek. The significance is that there is a priesthood that didn’t come from a Levite. Remember, the tribe of Levi was to be the priests for Israel. Melchizedek clearly was not a Levite, as Levi didn’t exist yet. So there’s a priesthood of God that existed outside the Levitical priesthood. Jesus is said, by the author of Hebrews, to be of the order of Melchizedek. He follows that priestly order and not the Levitical one. 

The author of Hebrews makes three claims about Melchizedek and you can see this in Hebrews 7, 8, and 9:

• Melchizedek’s priesthood was not based on a family tree. Note that Genesis does not attribute Melchizedek’s priesthood either to his ancestors or his descendants. If you read through the Old Testament, what do you see in every place that talks about the Levitical priesthood? The lineage of the priests is traced back in every  instance to Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob. Melchizedek doesn’t have that. His priesthood was not based on a blood connection. 
• Melchizedek’s priesthood is greater than the Levitical priesthood of the law. Notice that the priest blessed Abram, which indicates that Melchizedek was greater than Abram. Abram paid tithes to someone who is not a Levite but also a non-Israelite. Further, Abram was the father of the people of Israel and yet he was ministered to by a greater priesthood than the one that came from his descendants. 
• Melchizedek’s priesthood did not end, unlike the Levitical priesthood which records when priests began to minister and when they died, Melchizedek’s priesthood is not declared to have ended. Therefore when you read Hebrews, the writer can declare that Melchizedek remains a priest continually. This does not mean that he never died or that he always lives on the earth. Rather it means that there was no successor mentioned. Psalm 110 prophecies that the Messiah would be the successor to Melchizedek. He would be of the priestly order of Melchizedek. 
• Bible teachers debate whether Melchizedek is a type of Christ or is the head of the priestly order that Christ fulfills. In either case, Jesus Christ could rightly be called a priest even though he was not born from the tribe of Levi because there was a priestly order outside the tribe of Levi. 

What we see here is a taste of something that gets expanded upon in God’s revelation over time. If we were studying the book of Hebrews, we would take a lot longer to explain all of that. 

In general, there is a priesthood of God that is not required to be an Israelite or from the tribe of Levi. Jesus, therefore, can be, as He is revealed in Scripture, both king and prophet and priest. All of those are important for who Jesus is for us today. 

The King of Sodom

The king of Sodom forms a sharp contrast to the king of Salem. Whereas the king of Salem was gracious, the king of Sodom was demanding: “Give me the persons.” This lack of gratitude was striking. Abram would have been entitled to keep everything he’d won in battle, but Abram’s faith toward God was evident in that he did not want anyone to claim his riches came from the king of Sodom. Abram is like us in many ways. He had moments where he did the wrong thing and then he had soaring moments like this where you see his faithfulness to the LORD.  He was not going to be tainted by the goods of Sodom. We know that the wickedness of Sodom had already been disclosed in Genesis 13:13 but here the king of Sodom demonstrated it in his lack of gratitude. As I mentioned earlier, this was going to bring about the curse upon Sodom, not only for their wickedness, but also because he didn’t bless Abram. God fulfilled his covenant with Abram that said, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” 

In general, as we look back at chapters 12-14, as we’re introduced to Abram, we note here that Abram does not deserve the blessings that have been given to him. Though he did exercise faith in the rescue of Lot, his lack of faith is also clearly on display on several occasions. I think the Christian can look back on these accounts and see God’s grace in full view. If you want to be encouraged and challenged in your walk of faith, read through the life of Abram, and you will see the highs and lows in his life. I see myself there many, many times. Abram is a great challenge for us in this way.     

God’s Covenant with Abram (Genesis 15)

The covenant of God with Abram is anticipated in Genesis 12 but is actually given in Genesis 15, where the covenant language is used. In this text, Abram had a vision where God appeared to him, made promises, and encouraged him with new revelation of His person. God was his shield (protector) and would reward him greatly. The reward that God promised, once again, is what was offered in Genesis 12. 

When you read through Genesis 15, it says in verse 1 that the LORD appears to Abram in a vision and says, “Do not be afraid.” But Abram gives this protest in verse 2, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus.”    

Abram expressed concern as to whether God’s promises were true, noting that his servant Eliezar of Damascus would be his heir after Lot’s departure. God responded by reaffirming the immense number of descendants Abram would have.

Righteousness by Faith

Genesis 15:6 is arguably one of the most important verses in the Old Testament: “And he [Abram] believed in the LORD, and He [God] accounted it to him for righteousness.” The word “accounted” means to credit or impute. Moses, in recounting the faith of Abram, affirms the principle that one is justified by faith, with faith being the instrument by which God’s credit of righteousness is received. The Apostle Paul references this in Romans 4 and Galatians 3 to demonstrate that righteousness before God can never be achieved by means of the law or by law-keeping. It is significant that Moses says that Abram received this righteousness by his belief – by his faith. It is also significant that he received this righteousness by faith before the Old Testament covenant and law was given to the people of Israel. Later the Apostle Paul will say that there is a righteousness that can be achieved outside of the law, and it is demonstrated here. 

In chapter 15, God promised the land to Abram again, and though Abram believed God, he wanted to know how he would inherit the land. God’s response was to make a covenant with Abram, providing a sacrifice with the covenant to show its sincerity. Abram brought animals, cut them in half, and waited until evening when Yahweh Jehovah, (in the form of smoke and fire) passed through them as a visible sign of the covenant.

Properly speaking, though, covenants were enacted when God swore an oath. In general, Ancient Near East (ANE) covenants were enacted when the oath was taken. A lot of things could be associated with the covenant – meals,  tokens, sacrifices – but the covenant was enacted when God swore “This is what I will do.”

In recounting this covenant, Moses offered encouragements for the people of Israel as they were about to cross over into Jordan:

Let’s look at Genesis 15:12-16:  Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. Then He (Yahweh) said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” 

There are a number of encouragements here.

• Genesis 15:13: God foretold that Abram’s descendants would be in a foreign land and would be afflicted for 400 years (which happened to the people of Israel in Egypt). 

Remember who received and read this writing. These are the people of Israel and they have been wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. They have renewed the covenant with God at the end of Deuteronomy. They’re about ready to cross over into the Promised Land, and Moses hands them the Pentateuch including Genesis. They look back and say “God already promised to our forefathers that we would be in a foreign land but that God would rescue us out of it.”

• Verse 14: God foretold to Abram that he would judge the nation that oppressed them, and Abram’s descendants would escape with great possessions. Again, that happened to the people of Israel when they left Egypt. They did not leave empty handed. After all the plagues, the people of Egypt gave the Israelites gold and silver. They wanted the Israelites to GO! So they left Egypt rich!
• Verse 16: God foretold that Abram’s descendants would return to the promised land. The implication is that at that time the people would dispossess the Canaanites, specifically the Amorites, from the land. From the perspective of Moses and the people of Israel when they received Genesis, that was about to happen. Moses could say, “Look back. This story has been passed down for us through many generations. It tells that we would face afflictions but that God would deliver us out of that land and that we would be rich and that God would give us the land – and that’s about to happen now!

There is one other possible encouragement here. That is about the smoking oven and burning torch that passed between the animals. This is just a possible interpretation but it is worth thinking about. The smoke and fire might be reminders of the pillar of cloud and smoke that led Israel through the wilderness. You can read about that in Exodus 13:21-22. 

Abram, Sarai, Hagar, and the Birth of Ishmael (Genesis 16)

This chapter is where we read about some poor choices that all of these individuals make. Though this account occurs several years later than the events of chapter 15, the narrative connects Abram’s initial belief in God’s covenant promises and now his failure to fully believe these promises in chapter 16. Remember in chapter 15, God says to Abram, you’re going to have a son. Abram is now very old. We read at the end of chapter 16 that Abram was 86 years old when Ishmael was born. If you read carefully, you realize that Genesis 15 doesn’t say how Abram is going to have a son. 

The problem stated in Genesis 16:1 is that Sarai had no child. Can we say that Abram sinned and violated the promises of God? It seems better to say that at this point that Abram took God’s promises into his own hands, trying to figure it out for himself. In that sense I do think that these are sinful actions here. Actually there are a number of clues in the text that indicate this. Sarai, who is ten years younger than Abram, suggested giving her maidservant Hagar to Abram to raise up a child through her. Hagar would have been more than a surrogate, as she is called Abram’s wife, albeit a second wife. The people of the Ancient Near East (ANE) practiced this on a regular basis. However, I think Moses indicates that he did not – and God does not – approve of these actions. It is interesting how the text unfolds. It talks about Abram heeding or listening to his wife. I think this is a close parallel to Adam, when he ate the fruit that Eve gave him. The whole order is reversed. It should have been God to Abram, and Abram leading his wife and they working together. Here we have the reversal of the whole order of creation. Sarai came up with this terrible idea, even though it was practiced commonly.   

The Consequences of Human Solutions

The consequences of this arrangement are immediately negative:

1. Hagar despised Sarai once she becomes pregnant
2. Sarai blamed Abram for the strife
3. Abram didn’t identify Hagar as his wife but as Sarai’s maid, saying “She’s your problem”
4. Sarai dealt harshly with Hagar, causing her to flee

Interestingly, in Genesis 16, we have the Hebrew (Sarai) afflicting the Egyptian (Hagar), while in Exodus, the Egyptians afflict the Hebrews. God isn’t pleased with either arrangement.

The Angel of the Lord and Ishmael’s Birth

The angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar and gave her comforting words. This is what theologians call a Christophany – the Son of God appearing in the form of an angel before His incarnation. We know it’s more than a mere angel because in Genesis 16:10, he said “I will multiply your descendants,” and when Hagar identified the one who spoke to her, she called Him Yahweh (the Lord) in verse 13, and named Him as The God Who Sees. This is clearly an appearance of Christ, the second person of the trinity.  

Abram and Hagar’s son, Ishmael, would still be blessed greatly. The blessing of Abram by God was passed down to Ishmael and his descendants. By coming back to Abram as commanded by the angel, Ishmael would receive these blessings. Historically, many Arab peoples trace their lineage to Ishmael, showing that God did indeed bless him with vast numbers of descendants.